BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Walmart has announced that it will provide employees with several new family-building benefits, including fertility and surrogacy coverage.
The retail giant named Kindbody, a family-building benefits provider for employers, as the fertility provider for its new Center of Excellence (COE) for family-building benefits. Employees will have access to Kindbody’s network of facilities across the U.S., including a new state-of-the-art clinic and in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab in Rogers, Arkansas, that will provide comprehensive virtual, at-home, and in-clinic care.
The facility is expected to open later this year, according to the release from the company.
“Providing access to high-quality health care is very important to us, and we’ve heard from our associates that improved access to fertility, surrogacy and adoption support is a priority for them and their families,” said Kim Lupo, senior vice president, Walmart Global Total Rewards. “Through Kindbody, Walmart associates in every corner of the country will have access to a variety of services to aid in their family-planning journey.”
Walmart employees and their dependents who are enrolled in a self-insured Walmart medical plan will be able to receive fertility care from Kindbody’s team, including board-certified reproductive endocrinologists and senior embryologists, at one of Kindbody’s Signature Clinics nationwide.
Services include fertility assessments and education, fertility preservation, genetic testing, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Kindbody will also be available to help eligible associates access Walmart’s surrogacy and adoption benefits. These benefits include financial support of up to $20,000, lifetime max, for eligible surrogacy and adoption expenses.
Walmart benefits will continue to include enhanced maternity and parental leave for qualified full-time hourly and salaried associates that allows birth moms to receive up to 16 weeks of paid time off, according to the press release.
“We’re incredibly honored to become a Walmart Center of Excellence and provide high-quality care to Walmart associates, furthering our mission to make fertility and family-building care affordable and accessible for all,” said Gina Bartasi, founder and chairwoman of Kindbody. “Our partnership with Walmart signals that fertility benefits have joined medical, dental, and vision as standard workplace benefits for leading employers.”